Emir Sanusi: Nigeria’s Public Officials Lack Moral Foundation, Seek Power for Wrong Reasons

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has expressed concern over what he described as a widespread lack of moral foundation among many individuals currently holding public office in Nigeria.

Speaking during an interview on a national television programme, Sanusi asserted that a significant number of public officials were not raised with the values necessary for ethical leadership. He lamented the decline in civic education and moral instruction, noting that values such as honesty, integrity, and public service have been largely eroded in the country’s political landscape.

Reflecting on his early education, the monarch recalled that courses like Civics were central to character building in schools. He noted that such subjects instilled in students a sense of duty, responsibility, and the importance of leaving behind a good name.

Sanusi emphasized that public office should be seen as an avenue for service rather than personal enrichment. According to him, individuals who seek wealth should pursue entrepreneurship, citing Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, as a successful businessman who never held a government position.

The traditional ruler decried the collapse of the value system in governance, pointing out that many of those in power today are driven by self-interest, lack moral grounding, and are not concerned with building a legacy of service.